Actually lots of questions but this one is bugging me. We are arriving early next week at the Boardwalk Villas via the "Magical Express." We have a meal plan but want to eat breakfast in the room for a week plus we will want good quality beer and wine. (We will have daily room visitors)

Ideas:

I saw a delivery service recommended but probably no booze and I need to wait them out for perishables?

Pack a bunch of groceries and buy perishables in an expensive shop at the boardwalk. Booze will kill me on this one.

Rent a car for a day. Don't think I will need a car until the last couple days of the trip. No idea how you would get gouged renting at WDW.

Actually lots of questions but this one is bugging me. We are arriving early next week at the Boardwalk Villas via the "Magical Express." We have a meal plan but want to eat breakfast in the room for a week plus we will want good quality beer and wine. (We will have daily room visitors)

Ideas:

Quote:

I saw a delivery service recommended but probably no booze and I need to wait them out for perishables?

I used both www.gardengrocer.com and http://www.wegoshop.com and far far prefer wegoshop. It's a true personal shopping service - Marge is a sweetheart and will shop for you at any store(s) you request including multiple stores. Of course, they'll be an upcharge for multiple stores. She will buy booze for you and if you have coupons & send them, she'll even use them. As well, you will be presented with your actual reciept upon delivery and the fee will be added to it. What I do is send a general shopping list in advance which is very specific, and when the sale circular comes out, change the order as needed.

I can't say enough good things about it - everything is hand selected for you (fresh produce, meat, etc) and is the best she can find at the store I asked for.

Garden grocer left my order, which included milk and meat, with bell services who then, thankfully, delivered them to my refrigerator because they showed up 3 hours before the time I asked for. That alone lost my business. Plus, they bought a few of the wrong items and it was tough to get in touch with them. I had to preorder (& pay) for everything at order time and at the prices listed on the website - which may or may not be a good price.

Quote:

Pack a bunch of groceries and buy perishables in an expensive shop at the boardwalk. Booze will kill me on this one.

See above. Depending upon what you want and the fee, it may or may not be cheaper to use a shopping service.

Quote:

Rent a car for a day. Don't think I will need a car until the last couple days of the trip. No idea how you would get gouged renting at WDW.

There's an Alamo/National location right in Disney at the Car Care center near the Magic Kingdom parking lot entrance. Their rates are a bit lower than the airport and they'll pick you up and bring you back to your hotel if needed.

Quote:

Public transport?

A waste of time.

Quote:

Rent a bike from the hotel?

It's probably several miles to the nearest grocer, which is Goodings across from Downtown Disney. They are incredibly overpriced.

I would do the car. Either the location stated, or another hotel (the Hilton across from Downtown Disney has an Avis desk, for example, and most of the hotels in that area have something similar).

As for the stores, aside from the aforementioned (and definitely NOT recommended) Gooding's:

Winn-Dixie - Apopka-Vineland Road
Publix - Vineland Road (just past Orlando Premium Outlets)
Wal-Mart - SR535 near FL 536. Open 24 hours, but don't go on Sunday if it can be avoided. The shelves were bare in certain areas and it was jammed.

I may be late with the reply, but you can ship a bx directly to the hotel and have them deliver it to your room when you check in. Pack all your items except for liquor and UPS it down. Any items you don't use you can probably fit in your return suitcase or find another family to give them to before you leave.

Every time we go down we do this, and we get to know other familys in the pool area, lobby etc so by the time the week is up we have someone to give this to if we anticipate left overs.

Pack a bunch of groceries and buy perishables in an expensive shop at the boardwalk. Booze will kill me on this one.

Take it from a beer drinker: you DO NOT want to buy beer (and wine) onsite. A single Heineken is, as I recall, $5.50. A few years ago they'd sell you a six-pack for about $11, just low enough to make it too much trouble to go out, but that deal is gone. And they don't have any craft beer. Why, I don't understand, since they'd make plenty selling it.

And the wine is hideous and WAY WAY overpriced. $15 for a bottle of something literally undrinkable.

I'm not sure how much the shopping services charge, but I have heard good things about them.

We always rent a car for our stays for this reason, among others, but if you will be taking Disney transportation during your stay, my recommendation would be to rent a car for one day. MCO is usually pretty cheap for rentals.

I'd just forget Magical Express from the airport and rent a car, stopping on the way in for your supplies. Or take the family to the resort, then go out foraging. I normally buy most stuff at the Wal-Mart Supercenter, then go to Winn-Dixie to pick up extra things as needed, fresh bread/veggies/seafood, etc. And there is a liquor store in front of the Winn-Dixie.

And by going to Wal-Mart, you don't have to drag sunscreen, etc. down with you.

Figure out the rental car drop details. Many times (always?) there is no drop charge in FL.

I used both www.gardengrocer.com and http://www.wegoshop.com and far far prefer wegoshop. It's a true personal shopping service - Marge is a sweetheart and will shop for you at any store(s) you request including multiple stores.

From the wegoshop website for Lake Buena Vista:

"Please Note: As of October 2nd, 2010 this WeGoShop.com branch office is under new ownership. The former owner, Marge Peck, has moved out of the State of Florida and has passed the business to her long time employee Amy Martin."

Also:

Shop and Delivery Rates:

Grocery total up to $100.00 = $24.00 service fee
Grocery total between $100.00 - $200.00 = $29.00 service fee
Grocery total between $200.00 - $300.00 = $39.00 service fee
Grocery total over $300.00 = 14% of grocery total, service fee

After about 20 trips to WDW, and one time using Magical Express, I second the idea of just renting a car the day you arrive, one way, with either Alamo or National - pick up at the airport and drop off at the Dolphin. Remember - since you're driving few miles, you may either need to refuel and show the receipt or pay a small extra fee (this is new, at least Budget does this now in Orlando). Just search for the location on the rental car website to make sure you're returning to the correct location.

That way, you can stop where you want on the way (I like super Target) - and we don't pack toiletries, so pick them up as well as laundry soap.

I used garden grocer once (the same trip we used Magical Express) when we stayed at the BWI once, and were on the dining plan. It was a bit of overkill - the regular dining plan was more food than I had thought. One meal at the Boardwalk Bakery is a HUGE sandwich (enough for 2 people) plus a drink, side dish, and a pastry. We wasted some food too. So be careful not to overbuy!

I found Magical Express horrible. We only do carry-ons, so that wasn't a problem. It just was a lot of waiting in lines - well over 2 hours by the time we got to the resort. I considered getting a cab while we waited in line, but I had no cash on me! I didn't like it and would never use it again. I know my experience isn't typical, but I could have rented a car, driven to the store, and had checked in to the resort by the time our bus pulled up to the resort.

I found Magical Express horrible. We only do carry-ons, so that wasn't a problem. It just was a lot of waiting in lines - well over 2 hours by the time we got to the resort. I considered getting a cab while we waited in line, but I had no cash on me! I didn't like it and would never use it again. I know my experience isn't typical, but I could have rented a car, driven to the store, and had checked in to the resort by the time our bus pulled up to the resort.

That's interesting. Maybe it's just the times I visit (usually early March and mid-October every year), but the past three times I've been on Magical Express, I've just walked right up and shown my booklet and been on my way. There usually has been a bus waiting. Then again, it could be my luck - I once got into MCO just before midnight and didn't get to the resort until almost 1am. Then again, I'm just a solo traveler, so YMMV, particularly if you have a lot of people to coordinate.

I strongly second whoever said Publix. My parents take the train (!) down from Boston, and they rent a car in town and stop at Publix on the way over to WDW. They have particularly good sandwiches.

Don't waste your time at Goodings on 535 across from Hotel Plaza Boulevard. It's a complete ripoff. You'd almost do better just shopping on property. And the Hess stations are decent should you need to pick up soda without leaving Disney property.

Magical Express times totally depending on the level of resort you are staying at. Value Resorts (aka All Stars, Music, Pop etc) will pretty much fill a bus before leaving so you can wait a couple of hours to leave. Moderate Resorts (Caribbean, Port Orleans, etc) and Deluxe (Contemporary, Polynesian etc) go pretty quickly, basically if you paid a lot for a hotel room they get you there quickly. Also, if they know that another plane arrives soon after yours and that the people are going to be there soon they are more likely to hold you up to wait for them. Last time we stayed on site and used the Magical Express we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and waited around 20 minutes to leave. If you don't want to wait a lot of people I know that visited there recommends QuickSilver Transportation. If you are worried about groceries this would be a great thing for you since it includes a grocery stop.

As for online grocery places Ive used gardengrocers.com. I don't know if they deliever alcohol though since my family doesn't drink. If you are getting groceries and don't plan on being at the room inform the front desk. They put ours in a big fridge and all we had to do is call when we got back to the room and they sent someone with them over to us.

After about 20 trips to WDW, and one time using Magical Express, I second the idea of just renting a car the day you arrive, one way, with either Alamo or National - pick up at the airport and drop off at the Dolphin. Remember - since you're driving few miles, you may either need to refuel and show the receipt or pay a small extra fee (this is new, at least Budget does this now in Orlando). Just search for the location on the rental car website to make sure you're returning to the correct location.

Definitely +1 to this, and the rates for Alamo at the Dolphin don't seem to be pumped up either. I've always had great service there too (unlike Alamo at MCO) - kind of like they're pleased to see you/glad of the business!

We used Wynn Dixie just up from Hotel Blvd. Far cheaper than Goodings - am sure you could go further and save more but I thought it was a nice store to boot.

If you're not staying at a Disney owned property, you may have to use a car service or taxi other than Magical Express. We used Happy Limousine service and the service included a stop at Publix. Recommended.

I believe Mears Transportation also offers towncar service from the airport, and it may or may not include a grocery stop. Cab transportation on and around Disney property is pretty reasonable.

The Boardwalk grocery store is pretty decent in a pinch, though some items (particularly beer and wine) can be quite expensive with limited selection. Publix had a pretty good craft beer selection last time I checked.

Coming from Boston, I will say that the cabs in Orlando are quite nice and clean, and the drivers are usually very friendly. Any Disney hotel will call them for you, and they'll show up pretty quickly since they're all over property. Additionally, you can get cabs out of the theme parks at night (except for the Magic Kingdom, where you have to go to the Transportation and Ticket Center to get a cab rather than at the very front of the park).

We used Wynn Dixie just up from Hotel Blvd. Far cheaper than Goodings - am sure you could go further and save more but I thought it was a nice store to boot.

another vote for the Winn Dixie, mainly because it's so convenient. It's only a half mile to a mile farther away from the Disney resorts than Gooding's.

The only downside is they close at midnight (and I think the Publix closes around then as well). Not long ago I was forced to use the Goodings because we arrived on a late flight and I needed some baby items that really couldn't wait until the next day.

+1 on Garden Grocer. Was a day late, but that's because we checked in 11 pm, so all was good. We used them August '09.. and I think if you spend more than a certain amount they'll waive the delivery charge. www.gardengrocer.com